The air trembled with the scent of smoke and blood.
Around the shimmering scarlet barrier, the exorcists and onmyoji stood in grim silence, their robes fluttering in the distorted air.
Yukio Okumura clenched his fists and lowered his head, jaw tight with frustration.
"This is our negligence," he muttered under his breath. "If this causes tens of thousands of deaths… the Exorcist Bureau won't be disbanded, but it'll become a stain on our names forever."
A sharp snort echoed through the air.
Standing a few feet away, Seigen Amawaka, the stoic yet hot-headed onmyoji, narrowed his eyes. His expression was cold, his presence sharp like drawn steel.
"Hmph," he exhaled, his tone low. "No use regretting it now."
From the folds of his sleeve, he drew a charm that pulsed with a faint ancient light. Its paper shimmered faintly with divine characters. Even from a distance, the others could feel its immense power.
"This…" Yukio whispered, "is that the—?"
Seigen didn't answer. His voice was steady but filled with restrained fury.
"The White Tiger Spiegel Charm—the one bestowed only upon those recognized by the ancestral gods themselves."
He held the charm tightly between his fingers, spiritual energy gathering around him like a storm.
"If I use this," Seigen said, his eyes narrowing on the massive crimson barrier ahead, "my spell power will skyrocket tenfold. I can force open a path through this cursed barrier."
The others exchanged uneasy glances.
The barrier had resisted everything so far — even the combined attack of the Twelve Heavenly Generals. Every time it cracked, it healed as though mocking their efforts.
"Tch…" Seigen clicked his tongue, his mind briefly flashing to a certain image — a familiar white-haired annoying brat grinning like nothing in the world could bother him.
"That damn fool," he muttered. "Something this big happens, and he's nowhere to be found…"
He exhaled deeply and shook his head.
"Forget it. I'll just do it myself."
Seigen raised the charm, channeling his spiritual power.
Divine energy began to swirl violently, forming a white tiger's phantom above his head.
And then—
"Oi, Uncle Firewood, planning to turn into a cute little white cat again?"
That carefree, mocking tone froze him mid-chant.
"…This is!" Seigen blurted out instinctively, before realizing who had spoken.
He turned sharply—
Standing at the edge of the barrier, smirking like always, was Gojo Satoru, the ever-infuriating white-haired sorcerer. Beside him stood Nakano Nino, her eyes wide as she took in the devastation.
"You…" Seigen's brows furrowed. "Why did you come so late—and why did you bring her?"
Gojo tilted his head, his usual carefree grin still plastered across his face.
"Because," he replied in a teasing tone, "I was one of the poor souls trapped inside, you know? Took me a while to find the exit."
Seigen's expression twitched.
"That barrier was strong enough to resist even the Twelve Heavenly Generals. Don't tell me you—"
"Broke through?" Gojo said lightly, tapping his temple. "Come on, Seigen, you should know better. For someone like me, a barrier that just distorts space is child's play. All I did was rearrange a few atoms and—poof!—here I am."
Seigen wanted to retort, but he simply sighed, his temple throbbing.
"…You're insufferable."
Gojo gave a short laugh. "Heh, I get that a lot."
The surrounding onmyoji stared at the sorcerer with awe and disbelief. Even they could feel that the air had shifted the moment he arrived—an unshakable pressure radiated from him, effortlessly suppressing the barrier's lingering energy.
Seigen finally stepped aside. "If you're here, then prove that arrogant mouth of yours is worth something. The barrier's yours."
Gojo smiled, pushing up his blindfold slightly. "A simple 'please' would've been nice."
Seigen folded his arms. "Just do it."
Grinning, Gojo stepped toward the massive scarlet wall. His right hand hovered above it, fingers lightly brushing against the pulsating energy.
"Alright then…" he murmured, the tone of playfulness fading into calm focus. "Let's show them what infinity feels like."
The surrounding air warped violently as cursed energy converged in his hand.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
A soft hum echoed, followed by a flash of pure crimson light.
For a brief second, time itself seemed to stop. The entire field was engulfed in a surge of overwhelming energy. A deafening explosion followed—BOOOOM!—blowing wind and dust outward in a fierce cyclone.
Everyone shielded their faces with their hands.
When the dust settled and the wind died, they opened their eyes to find the massive barrier completely gone — not even a fragment remained.
"…He erased it," one of the younger onmyoji whispered, trembling.
Gojo turned around, scratching his head with a grin. "Eh? Was it supposed to be hard?"
A few of the onmyoji immediately began whispering.
"As expected of Gojo-sama!"
"The strongest person alive!"
"No, no, that's not enough—he's the strongest across all worlds combined!"
"Right? Even the Exorcist Bureau can't compare to him."
Their exaggerated praise carried hints of mockery toward the exorcists nearby.
Yukio Okumura's expression darkened, the veins on his temple throbbing. His team looked equally irritated.
"Alright, that's enough," Seigen's cold voice cut through the chatter. "We're here to save people, not argue over egos."
Instantly, the crowd fell silent.
Yukio stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Lord Amawaka, Gojo-sama, we'll go ahead. There are still civilians inside the park."
"Go," Seigen said, waving them off. "Do what must be done."
The exorcists dashed toward the now-exposed amusement park, their shadows disappearing into the smoke.
.....
Elsewhere — Within the Park,
Amid the ruined rides and broken stalls, Aki Hayakawa exhaled a long, steady breath. The scent of ash and cursed blood hung heavy in the air.
"So… the Onmyoji and Exorcists finally made it through, huh?" he murmured to himself, watching the distant shimmer where the barrier had once stood.
"Aki!"
A familiar voice called his name.
Himeno jogged toward him, her expression half-relieved, half-exasperated.
"You're not hurt, are you?" she asked, eyeing the faint scratches on his coat.
"I'm fine," Aki replied curtly, brushing off the dirt. "The ghouls were low-level. Nothing I couldn't handle."
Her gaze flickered toward the sword strapped behind his back. "You didn't draw that blade, did you?"
Aki shook his head. "No need to. Fox spirit and technique were enough."
Before Himeno could reply, footsteps echoed through the broken pathways — a squad of exorcists in white uniforms approached, weapons drawn.
Seeing the long white coats, Aki and Himeno exchanged glances.
"Exorcists," Aki muttered. "Looks like the cleanup just got serious."
.....
Back at the Entrance,
"Nino," Gojo turned toward the reddish-pink-haired girl beside him, "you should go back now."
Nino frowned, her dark blue eyes filled with worry. "Then what about you, Gojo-kun? You're not going in alone, are you?"
He flashed his signature grin. "I'll be fine. I'm me, after all."
She bit her lip, clearly unconvinced. "You always say that…"
"Then how about this?" Gojo leaned closer, tapping his cheek lightly. "Give me a little motivation."
"Eh? You're impossible," Nino huffed, her face turning crimson.
Still, despite her embarrassment, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Fine. But you promised—you have to come back safe."
Gojo chuckled, rubbing her head affectionately.
"You're way too cute when you're serious."
Nino pouted. "Stop patting my head! You'll stunt my growth!"
He laughed — that warm, carefree laugh that somehow made even chaos feel lighter.
As he turned toward the wrecked amusement park, his expression shifted — still smiling, but now calm and determined.
"Time to clean up this mess," he murmured, slipping his blindfold back over his eyes. "Can't let Seigen hog all the glory."
And with that, Gojo Satoru walked forward — into a battlefield where worlds had begun to collide.
...
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